Greeting card assembly



June 22, 1965 E. R. M LAUGHLIN ETAL 3,190,541

GREETING CARD ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l ELIZABETH R.HLUIUMIZ/N EVELYN GKOSCHKE AITORNEYS l INVENTORS' June 22, 1965 R.MGLAUGHLIN ETAL 3,190,541

GREETING CARD ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.ELIZABETH R M'ZdMi/ll/N EVELYN fikOSCF/KE United States Patent 03,190,541 GREE'HNG CARD ASSEMBLY Elizabeth R. McLaughlin, 7M6 E.Moreland, and Evelyn Groschlre, 75% E. Virginia, both of Scottsdale,Ariz. Filed Nov. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 324,532 10 Claims. (Cl. 229-r2.8)

Our invention relates in general to greeting cards of all types. Itrelates more in particular to a greeting card of more or lessconventional design, which has releasably associated with it relativelysmaller sheets of writing paper permitting the sender of the card toenclose a personal letter or the like without mutilating displayportions of the greeting card by excessive writing thereon.

The greeting card industry is a very extensive one. In addition toChristmas cards and cards containing other seasonal greetings, it alsoincludes birthday cards, cards of greeting on anniversaries of variouskinds, and place cards usually provided by hotels and resorts for use oftheir patrons. In the case of greeting cards such as Christmas cards,birthday cards, and the like, these may be specially printed with thename of the sender or not. But in any case they usually include at leastone side or panel surfacing showing a printed greeting sometimes in theform an appropriate picture, and at least one panel surface containing aprinted greeting sometimes in the form of an appropriate verse orverses. When sending greeting cards, many people realize that they havebeen remiss in keeping up ordinary letter correspondence with theaddressee so that as a result they write special matters in long hand onany empty surface of the greeting card. This practice renders anotherwise attractive card messy if the writing should be extensive, andwe know of course that frequently the writing is very extensive becausethere is no brief stopping point. The same situation occurs in the caseof birthday cards and other greetings cards, although usually thepractice is not quite so prevalent as in the case of Christmas cards.

A type of greeting card is also frequently used by hotels and resorts toadvertise their existence, their locations, and their features andadvantages. Frequently this is an ordinary post card with a picture onone side and the opposite side divided up between a mailing portion anda message portion. In other instances hotels and resorts furnishordinary paper and envelopes for the use of their guests, but in thesecases advertising is of necessity extremely limited. Most hotels andresorts, particularly the latter, feature a brochure type of documentfrequently in the form of a single sheet of paper folded on itself twicein a manner which We may call quarto fold, usually leaving four panelsor pages for advertising and message. Usually this is inadequate, andguests normally are not interested in using for correspondence adocument which is blatantly worded for advertising purposes. Whilegreeting cards may take various forms, for our purpose we find greetingcards of modern conventional type to comprise either the quarto foldtype document or the double fold document consisting of two relativelyhard panels foldable to rest against each other. i

The principal object of our invention is the provision of an improvedgreeting card.

Another object is the provision of a greeting card .assembly which is ofconventional type and in good taste but which provides substantial spacefor writing a letter if necessary and including it with the greetingcard.

Still another object of our invention is the provision of an improvedassembly comprising a greeting card and note paper releasably associatedwith each other, and adapted to be enclosed in the normal mailingenvelope "ice ' ing card assembly which may utilize all of theconventions, designs, and equipment, known in the industry but whichalso furnishes additional features of design not now available.

A still further object is the provision of a greeting card assembly ofthe type identified which may be used with the conventional envelope orwhich may be modified in a simple manner, particularly when advertisingis to be associated with it, so that the greeting card may comprise itsown cover.

In accordance with the main features of the invention we provide asimple slot and associated pocket, preferably on an inside surface of afolded greeting card, together with at least one sheet of note paperusually folded once but adapted to be divided in small dimension andwithout fold if desired, so that a short message or even along lettermay accompany the greeting card, leaving the decorated surfaces of thecard unblemished except of course for the usual signature. Sincenormally the greeting card will be enclosed within a mailing envelope,it is not essential that the note paper be entirely inserted within thepocket, nor that the greeting card be so folded as to prevent the notepaper from being extracted. We may, however, so relate the slot to anormal line of fold of the greeting card, that the note paper may remainprojecting from the slot or easy and simple removal, but in which thenote cannot be extracted from its pocket without unfolding the card.Preferably the entire greeting card, including that portion thereofforming the pocket, is made from a single blank, and the blank sodesigned that there will be little or no loss of paper stock as theblanks are cut out. Under appropriate conditions, however, a separatepocket-forming sheet or leaf or panel of paper is provided as thespecific description will make clear. The blank which is folded toproduce a greeting card may also have a tab associated therewith forclosing the folded blank so that it may comprise its own cover orenvelope for mailing. In such case the pocket should be located thatextraction of the note paper is impossible.

Other objects and specific features of the present invention will beapparent from the following detailed description, taken with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the greeting card assemblyof our present invention as it is being inserted into an envelope;

FIG. 2 shows the greeting card removed from the envelope and opened toshow two inner faces, together with the slot and manner of supportingthe note paper;

FIG. 3 shows the note paper removed from its pocket;

FIG. 4 shows a blank from which the greeting card of the preferredembodiment of the invention is formed;

FIG. 5 is a similar View showing the first folding oper ation inproducing the greeting card;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, with one panel shown in exploded relationto illustrate construction;

FIG. 7 shows a greeting card essentially similar to that shown in FIG. 6but with the slot in a different position, and the outside panels orsurfaces only being visible;

FIG. 8 shows still another form of greeting card such as one in whichadvertising would appear;

FIG. 9 shows the BIG. 8 form of greeting card folded to form its ownmailing cover;

FIG. 10 shows the blank from which the FIG. 9 card is formed, and

FIG. 11 shows a form of note paper which could be used with the FIGS. 9and 10 embodiment.

Referring now first to FIGS. 1 through 5, a preferred form of greetingcard produced in accordance with our 3 invention is indicated by thereference numeral 12 in FIG. 1 as it is being placed in a conventionalmailing envelope 13. Looking at FIG. 1, it could be a conventionalmodern type of Christmas card, millions of which are purchased andmailed annually. One or more pieces of note paper 14 (FIG. 3) are soassociated with the Christmas card, however, as not to affect or mar itsbeauty and symmetry in any way. Actually, however, the note paper 14 maybe used to effect certain advantages in design of the card as will beexplained hereinbelow. We recognize that when the letter on the notepaper 14 is enclosed with the card, it will normally be necessary inaccordance with present day rules that the Christmas card be mailedfirst class rather than second class. We have observed, however, thatpersonal greeting cards are almost always, or at least very frequentlymailed first class to assure early delivery, so that on a practicalbasis very little if any penalty will result from the use of thefeatures of our invention. The note paper 14 is placed in a suitablepocket as will be described, but before going into the details of thepocket we wish to point out a preferred manner in which the greetingcard of our invention will be produced.

Referring to FIG 4 a blank 16 shown in full lines in FIG. 4 is cut froma suitable strip of paper which may already have been printed to applydesigns, pictures, greetings, verses and the like on suitable surfaces.The strip shown may be only part of a strip which in actual practice hasa width comprising a multiple of the Width of the blank 16, in allinstances printing and cutting mechanism being employed which is commonin the industry. The numeral 17 indicates in broken lines a separateportion of the strip, and it will be observed that a succession ofblanks may be cut from a strip with little or no loss of paper stock.

As the blank 16 is cut by means of a suitable die a slot 13 is also cutaway. Provision is thus made for panels 19, 21, 22, 23, and 24. Panel 24is provided with an adhesive peripheral strip 26 at three sides thereofbut not along the line of fold 27. When the blank is in the positionshown in FIG. 4 the surfaces which we see are blank surfaces, thesurfaces containing indicia of all kinds being on the opposite faces orsurfaces which we do not see when the blank is in this particularposition.

The first movement in shaping the greeting card is to bend the panel 24along the line of fold 27 so that it lies over and completely coverspanel 19 as shown in FIG. 5. The panel 24 is held in position by theadhesive 26, but in FIG. we show one of the corners raised for purposesof illustration. It will be observed that in actual practice the panel24 will be secured tightly against panel 19. It will be observed alsothat the slot 18 is also covered, and that if anything were to beinserted through the slot on the opposite side of the blank to thatshown in FIG. 5 it would lodge in a pocket between panels 24 and 19.

The next operation is to articulate the panels 22 and 23 against alongitudinal line of fold 28 (FIGS. 4 and 5) so that panel 24 nowbecomes covered, and all of the surfaces which have not been printed inaccordance with usual practice are concealed. If panels 22 and 23 aremoved directly upwardly with the blank positioned as in FIG. 5 thisresult will be accomplished. We now have a blank of double thicknesswith one fold except of course for the special panel 24 provided inaccordance with the present invention. In all other ways the resultingconfiguration is exactly the same as in conventional practice in theusual quarto-fold type of card.

Looking at FIGS. 4 and 5 it will be seen that there is indicated avertical line of fold 29 crossing two panels. When the first fold hasbeen accomplished, the line 29 is doubled on itself. If now the blank isagain folded on itself along the center line 29, with the exposed slot18 on the inside of the fold, so as to constitute a page 2 if thesurfaces were numbered as in a book 1, 2, 3, 4, a structure would beobtained identical with that shown in FIG. 1 and identical with thatshown in FIG. 2 when in '4 partly opened position. The note paper 14 isnow introduced into the slot 18. The Christmas card or other greetingcard as the case may be can be associated with its envelope 13 and isready for movement through the channels of trade. In FIG. 2 we haveidentified the panels appropriately, it being understood that panel 24is entirely concealed in back of panel 19, but panel 23 occupics thesame relative position with respect to panel 21 that panel 22 does topanel 19.

It will be noted that while the adhesive 26 covers only three sides ofthe pocket, the fold along the line 27 effectively closes the fourthside. It should be noted also that the note paper is so dimensioned withrespect to the pocket, that is to say that part of the pocket betweenthe r slot 18 and the bottom of panel 19, that the note paper willalways project slightly up above the slot 18 and can always be seen andreadily extracted. There is a plus factor in the construction shown,particularly in instances where the greeting card is for a purpose otherthan a Christmas greeting and there is a Wish to introduce some elementof surprise, levity, or amusement. While the note paper preferably willbe completely blank, it may in fact have imprinted thereon the name ofthe sender or any other indicia which may be desired. It may also bedimensioned so that either folded or in the form of a single sheet ofpaper unfolded, it extends to any desired position above the slot 18. Itshould be remembered that the slot 18 may be placed near the very top ofthe panel 19 or down near its center portion or even below. The notepaper 14 may then be used as a part of a scheme of design, to change amessage, to show a surprise feature underneath the note paper, or forany other amusing decorative or the like reason. Illustratively the nameof the sender could be printed underneath the note paper on the face ofpanel 19 and the top of the note paper could bear a legend such as GuessWho or anyother question depending upon the age, relationship and thelike of the sender and receiver.

While the greeting card assembly of our present invention isparticularly well adapted for the production of quarto-fold type cards,it may be used also for cards having a single fold and normally madefrom relatively heavier paper stock than the card shown in FIG. 1.Looking at FIG. 6 the greeting card thereshown is of a standard type inall respects with a front panel 31 folded to lie fiat against a rearpanel 32 in the manner of a book; but with a transverse slot 33 in thepanel 32 and a backing sheet 34 secured to the back of the panel 32 toform a pocket. Normally the panels 31 and 32 will be of relatively heavystock and commonly are glazed. As a rule, in most greeting cards theback face of the panel 32 is bare except for showing the name of theproducer and frequently the number or other catalog identification ofthe card in question. Usually the backing sheet 34 will have the samedimension as the back panel 32 but it will have a peripheral strip ofadhesive 36 holding it so firmly against the back panel as in effect toform a single sheet. Normally if the stock from which the panels 31 and32 are formed is glazed the hacking sheet 34, or at least its rearsurface will also be glazed. It also be blank in accordance with theusual practice except for identification symbols, or if desired itsexposed face may also contain greet- 1ng material. Note paper indicatedby the reference character 37 is of such dimension that when it isinserted Into the pocket through the slot 33 the portion of it willalways remain projecting above the slot so that it can be easilyremoved. As shown the note paper 37 is folded on the left so as to openlike the ordinary book, but the note paper may be single unfoldedsheets, and of course it may be folded in any way desired.

In producing the greeting card shown in FIG. 6, present conventionalmethods of production may be used. The back panel 34 may be applied atany suitable time and should be applied by means of automatic equipment.One

. method is to match inside side edges of the panel 32 with E}! thebacking strip 34, and after the adhesive has been set, to cut or trim aslight amount of stock from the other side edges to produce a cleanfinished edge.

The greeting card shown in FIG. 7 is similar to that shown in FIG. 6with, however, certain modifications. Here the front panel 41 and rearpanel 42 comprise tw sheets of paper. A slot 43 is formed in one sheetof paper comprising the rear panel 42, and that portion of the sheet 44secured to the sheet 46 having the slot 43 is secured thereto byadhesive 47 indicated as being along the peripheral edge of the panel42. So far as panel 41 is concerned, the sheets 44- and 46 may besecured together by adhesive covering the entire matching surfaces. Inproducing the FIG. 7 form of the invention, two strips of paper areattached together, sheet 46 being preliminarily cut to form the slot 43.After the sheets are rigidly and firmly secured together, so that ineffect they comprise a single sheet except in an area defining a pocket.terminating in the slot 43, the side edges of the sheets forming thecard as shown'are trimmed to produce clean edges having the appearanceof a single relatively thick sheet of paper like the ordinary paperboard used in many greeting cards. Note paper 48 may be introduced as inthe previously described embodiments, and as shown in dotted lines, itwill project above the slot 43 so that it can always be readily removed.In the FIG. 7 form of the invention, it will be noted also that when thecard is folded so that the two surfaces which are exposed in FIG. 7 areon the outside, the note paper 48 is so held that it cannot be removed.the line of fold 49 between the panels 41 and 42.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9, and 11, the form of invention thereshown isgenerally similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, except that thecard thereshown is finished in such a way that it provides its own coverand a does not need an envelope. This particular form of the inventionis particularly adapted for use by hotels, public parks, amusementplaces and resorts of all kinds. It permits of the maximum amount ofadvertising through a relatively inexpensive medium with substantiallyas much writing space as would be afforded to the visitor if ordinarywriting paper and envelopes were furnished.

Looking now first to FIG. 10, the blank there shown is folded to producethe card shown in an open position in FIG. 8 and in a sealed conditionready for mailing as shown in FIG. 9. In this instance also the blankcan be cut out in such a way that there is relatively little wastage ofpaper stock, and while the stock used may be the same as that discussedin connection with FIGS. 1

through 5, generally it is apt to be of a somewhat inferior gradebecause cost to the hotel or resort owner in quantity lots is animportant factor.

The blank comprises panels 51, 52, 53, and 54 with a gummed panel 56adapted to fold over and engage against panel 51 so as to close slot 57at side and produce a pocket below the slot on the other side. The firstmovement therefore is to bend or fold the blank along the line of fold58. Next movement is to fold the blank along the line of fold 59 toproduce the form of card shown in FIG. 8 which is already scored alongthe line of fold 61 so that the card can be folded like a book to placetogether the exposed surfaces of panels 51 and 52 as shown in FIG. 8.Note paper 62 (FIG. 11) is here shaped relatively long and narrow,although of course the shape may vary depending upon the dimensioning ofthe card itself. When the card is folded with the two panels 51 and 52lying against each other the note paper 62 cannot be removed. The panel51 of course has the panel 56 secured to it on that side which cannot beseen in FIG. 8.

Panel 54 has a tab extension as, and a score line 64 is provided betweenthe panel 54 and the tab 63. Tab 63 is provided with a suitablemucilaginous coating 66 which will become adhesive when wetted, so thatwhen it is folded over into the position shown in FIG. 9, the entire Itprojects generally along card will be held in loose but assembledrelation, so that it will be accepted for mailing purposes. If desired,but we believe not necessary, a tab may also be extended from the bottomedge of panel 54 and provided with mucilage, so that the bottom edge ofthe card can also be sealed. Such a tab 67 is shown and it is providedwith an adhesive 68. The card of our invention however may be preparedwith or without the sealing tab 67.

A study of all of the various forms of the present invention will show acommon element throughout, namely the utilization of a standard form ofgreeting card with at least two panels folded on each other, with aconcealed pocket below a slot on in inner surface and note paperprojecting into the slot in such a manner as to be secured therein butnot to be entirely enclosed so that the note paper may readily beremoved. The card is standard and conventional in all other respects andmay be used by a sender with or without the note paper. In instances forexample where a greeting card produced in accordance with the presentinvention is made available to its customers by a hotel or resort, thenote paper may be provided entirely separately from the card, so thatthe final assembly is not produced until the guest employs theadditional writing surface and partially encapsulates the note paperwithin the material of the greeting card by projecting at least a partthereof through a slot provided for such purposes.

A significant advantage, as already indicated, and one which may beobtained regardless of the form of the invention used, is to utilize thenote paper, if desired, to complement the card. Thus it may have anydesired relation as to color, texture, pictures, decoration or otherdesign feature. As a single example, Without limiting the generality,the card may be formed of a material like parchment which does notreadily accept ink, but with a good grade of writing paper on which eventhe signature of the sender may be written. In vending the card, it isnot essential that the paper actually be inserted in the pocket. Thismay be left to the retail purchaser.

Our invention has been described in great detail and several embodimentsthereof shown and described so that those skilled in the art mayunderstand the manner of using the same. The scope of the inventionhowever is defined by the claims.

We claim:

1. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a blank folded at least oncealong a line to form two substantially equal size panels, each suchpanel having an inner surface and said inner surfaces facing each other,

(b) one such inner surface having a slot therethrough,

(c) pocket forming means including a piece of paper adhesively securedto a surface opposite said inner surface bearing said slot, said slotlying within an area defined by said piece of paper, and

((1) letter writing note paper with a portion thereof extendable intosaid pocket through said slot.

2. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a blank folded at least oncealong a line to form two substantially equal size panels, each suchpanel having an inner surface and said inner surfaces facing each other,

(b) one such inner surface having a slot therethrough,

(c) pocket forming means including a piece of paper adhesively securedto a surface opposite said inner surface bearing said slot, said slotlying within an area defined by said piece of paper,

((1) letter writing note paper with a portion thereof extendable intosaid pocket through said slot, and

(e) a sealing tab extending from one such panel in a position to besecured to said opposite panel to hold the same in face-to-face relationwith said note paper disposed in said pocket between the panels to formsaid card into an envelope-like structure With outside faces forapplications of name and address of sender and person to whom addressed.

3. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a blank folded at least oncealong a line to form two substantially equal size panels, each suchpanel having an inner surface and said inner surfaces facing each other,

(b) one such inner surface having a slot therethrough,

() pocket forming means including a piece of paper adhesively secured toa surface opposite said inner surface bearing said slot, said slot lyingwithin an area defined by said piece of paper,

(d) letter writing note paper with a portion thereof extendable intosaid pocket through said slot,

(e) said panels comprising a single piece of relatively heavy paperstock and consisting of front and rear panels foldable together alongsaid line, said slot being in said rear panel, and

(f) said pocket forming paper means secured to said back panel outsidethe same so that said slot lies between the panels when folded.

4. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a single piece of relativelyheavy paper stock folded along a line to form substantially equal sizefront and rear panels with inner and outer surfaces,

(b) one such panel having a slot within its periphery,

(c) a paper sheet adhesively peripherally secured to the outside surfaceof said panel bearing said slot forming a pocket accessible through saidslot and said slot being accessible only at an inside surface betweenthe panels, and

(d) a sheet of note paper somewhat longer than said pocket so that aportion thereof will project from said pocket between said panels.

5. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a single piece of relativelyheavy paper stock folded along a line to form substantially equal sizefront and rear panels with inner and outer surfaces, one such panelhaving a slot within its periphery,

(b) an integral projection from the said panel bearing said slotcoextensive in area and shape with said panel,

(c) a line of fold between said panel and its projection causing saidpanel and projection to lie in face-toface relation,

((1) peripheral adhesive between said panel and projection forming asingle piece panel-like unit with a pocket between contiguous faces,said slot communicating with said pocket in said panel-like unit, and

(e) generally rectangular paper long enough to project at least slightlyfrom said slot when inserted in said pocket.

6. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a blank in the form ofrelatively heavy laminated paper stock adhesively secured together toform relatively heavy stock,

(b) said blank folded along a line to form substantially equal sizefront and rear panels with inner and outer surfaces formed by saidlaminated paper sheets, and

(c) one of said panels having its inner and outer sheets adhesivelysecured only marginally to leave an open space forming a pocket,

(d) said inner sheet having a slot communicating with said pocket sothat said slot lies between said panels,

(c) said pocket adapted to receive a sheet of note paper of a size suchthat at least a part of said sheet of note paper projects beyond saidslot between the panels.

7. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a blank quarto-folded toproduce two panels,

(h) each such panel having inner and outer sub-panels,

(c) one inner sub-panel having a slot therethrough,

and

(d) pocket forming means including an additional sheet adhesivelysecured to said slotted sub-panel between the inner and outersub-panels, a pocket area formed by said additional sheet defining anarea including said slot.

8. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a blank quarto-folded toproduce two panels,

(b) each such panel having inner and outer sub-panels,

(c) one inner sub-panel having a slot therethrough,

((1) pocket forming means including an additional sheet adhesivelysecured to said slotted sub-panel between the inner and outersub-panels, a pocket area formed by said additional sheet defining anarea including said slot, and

(e) note paper having such dimension with respect to said pocket thatwhen inserted therein will leave at least a portion thereof projectingfrom said slot for easy extraction.

9. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a quarto-folded blankproducing two panels, each with inner and outer sub-panels,

(b) one inner sub-panel having a slot therethrough,

and

(c) an extension contiguous to and co-extensive in dimensions and areawith said sub-panel bearing said slot, said extension forming a part ofsaid blank and folded to lie in face to face relation with said slottedsub-panel between said sub-panels,

(d) said extension being adhesively peripherally secured to said innersub-panel to form a pocket into which Writing note paper may be insertedthrough said slot.

10. A greeting card assembly comprising (a) a quarto-folded blankproducing two panels, each with inner and outer sub-panels,

(b) one inner sub-panel having a slot therethrough,

(e) an extension contiguous to and co-extensive in dimensions and areawith said sub-panel bearing said slot, said extension forming a part ofsaid blank and folded to lie in face to face relation with said slottedsub-panel between said sub-panels,

(d) said extension being adhesively peripherally secured to said innersub-panel to form a pocket into which writing note paper may be insertedthrough said slot, and

(e) note paper of such a size as to substantially fill said pocket andleave a margin thereof projecting exteriorly of the pocket between thepanels.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 185,489 12/76Buzby.

702,107 6/02 Loomis 229-87.5 1,166,772 1/16 Lockhart 22973 2,417,9823/47 I-Iisted 22992.8

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, FRANKLIN T. GARRETT,

Examiners.

1. A GREETING CARD ASSEMBLY COMPRISING (A) A BLANK FOLDED AT LEAST ONCEALONG A LINE TO FORM TWO SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL SIZE PANELS, EACH SUCHPANEL HAVING AN INNER SURFACE AND SAID INNER SURFACES FACING EACH OTHER,(B) ONE SUCH INNER SURFACE HAVING A SLOT THERETHROUGH, (C) POCKETFORMING MEANS INCLUDING A PIECE OF PAPER ADHESIVELY SECURED TO A SURFACEOPPOSITE SAID INNER SURFACE BEARING SAID SLOT, SAID SLOT LYING WITHIN ANAREA DEFINED BY SAID PIECE OF PAPER, AND (D) LETTER WRITING NOTE PAPERWITH A PORTION THEREOF EXTENDABLE INTO SAID POCKET THROUGH SAID SLOT.